Peace (T'ai)

Metaphors: Pervading

Social When harmony prevails in a sustainable policy cycle and in its relationship with society a period of fruitful action is assured. To benefit from this condition processes must be ordered and adjusted to increase their natural yield.

Sub-conditions:

1. Under such favourable circumstances the sustainable policy cycle attracts together those with similar preoccupations and is encouraged to extend its activities. (Resulting in: Advancement).

2. The sustainable policy cycle can overcome the danger of becoming slack in times of harmony by working with the imperfect, risking dangerous undertakings, taking the seemingly insignificant into account, and avoiding factionalism. (Resulting in: Decline).

3. The sustainable policy cycle can avoid succumbing to the illusion that the period of harmony will never end by recognizing how its inner strengths are independent of external circumstances. (Resulting in: Initiative).

4. In times of mutual confidence, the sustainable policy cycle can spontaneously establish close contact with the alienated, by emphasizing an inner bond rather than external inequality. (Resulting in: Power).

5. The sustainable policy cycle may successfully achieve its ends by uniting with others who have fewer advantages. (Resulting in: Waiting).

6. When the period of peace comes to an end the only recourse is to accept the transition and attempt to maintain a measure of harmony within the sustainable policy cycle itself. (Resulting in: Conservation).